medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and culture
There is evidently some physiological basis for thinking the innocent
will sink, so the medieval practice may have been partly also based on
the empirical evidence. Innocent people will be calm, knowing that the
water will accept them (hard for us to comprehend, I realize, but
still...). This means they are less likely to hyperventilate before the
ordeal. The guilty will fill their lungs with air in panic, and are thus
more likely to float.
Celia Chazelle
Jo Ann McNamara wrote:
>medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and culture
>
>I don't have a source but I understand that the logic was that the purity of
>the water would reject the impurity of a witch. Somewhere I acquired the
>conviction that they actually tied a rope around the person undergoing the
>ordeal so that if they sank (the pure water accepting the innocent),. they
>would not drown but be pulled out not too much the worse for a ducking.
>
>Jo Ann McNamara
>
>----- Original Message -----
>From: "V. Kerry Inman" <[log in to unmask]>
>To: <[log in to unmask]>
>Sent: Thursday, November 04, 2004 9:00 AM
>Subject: Re: [M-R] Water and drowning
>
>
>medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and culture
>
>A good question. I always thought that someone turned that around for
>humorous
>purposes and that it was originally that one would not drown if innocent.
>Does
>anyone have the souces for this?
>
>--V.K. Inman
>
>
>Quoting Dr Rosemary Hayes <[log in to unmask]>:
>
>
>
>>medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and culture
>>
>>How does this all relate to the ordeal for witches who floated if guilty
>>
>>
>and
>
>
>>sank if innocent - or do I have it the wrong way round?
>>
>>Best wishes
>>Rosemary Hayes
>>----- Original Message -----
>>From: "Denis Hue" <[log in to unmask]>
>>To: <[log in to unmask]>
>>Sent: Thursday, November 04, 2004 6:49 AM
>>Subject: Re: [M-R] Water and drowning
>>
>>
>>medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and culture
>>
>>a curious case in Joinville's Vie de Saint Louis: a Crusader falls in the
>>sea, he cannot swim but doesn't sink: he's put his life in the hands of
>>
>>
>Mary
>
>
>>so, very peacefully, he floats until another boats picks him up.
>>
>>***********************
>>N'en sai plus dire
>>***********************
>>Denis Hüe,
>>responsable du Master Lettres Langues Communication
>>Centre d'Etude des Textes Médiévaux, (CETM-CELAM)
>>Université de Haute Bretagne
>>http://www.uhb.fr/alc/medieval
>>
>>----- Original Message -----
>>From: Chris Daniell <[log in to unmask]>
>>To: <[log in to unmask]>
>>Sent: Wednesday, November 03, 2004 3:57 PM
>>Subject: [M-R] Water
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>>medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and
>>>
>>>
>culture
>
>
>>>The recent thread about 'holy water' has another aspect - that of
>>>Christians being unable to drown and pagans / unbelievers drowning.
>>>
>>>
>This
>
>
>>>has Biblical examples (Parting of the Red Sea, Noah, Christ walking on
>>>water etc) and was a motif used extensively by Medieval Christian
>>>
>>>
>writers.
>
>
>>>If anyone is interested I can supply some additional examples
>>>
>>>Chris Daniell
>>>
>>>PS As I am leaving my current job I will only be on this e-mail address
>>>until end of play Thurs 4th Nov
>>>
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>
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